Civics education begins with understanding the Constitution, which defines our individual rights and the power of the state. To that end, please join us by participating in a civics essay contest. The prompt for the 2018 Ninth Circuit Civics Contest is "What does equal protection mean to students?".

Students should consider how the Equal Protection Clause applies in high schools, colleges, and graduate schools, whether in admissions, classrooms, or on the athletic fields. Individual students can express their thoughts and ideas in an essay of between 500 and 1,000 words. Individuals and teams of up to three students can produce a 3-5 minute video on the theme. A student may submit both an essay and video. A student may submit only one essay and be involved in the production of only one video.

The essay or video should: 1) Demonstrate an understanding of the historical background of the Equal Protection Clause; 2) Explain the constitutional powers and rights relevant to the court cases and laws mentioned above; and 3) Discuss the important role of the Judicial Branch in preserving the rights of Americans to equal education.

The 2018 Ninth Circuit Civics Contest is open to high school students in nine western states and two Pacific island jurisdictions. Students from public, private, parochial and charter schools and home-schooled students of equivalent grade status may enter.

The U.S. District Court and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon are hosting a local contest to determine the top three state finalists in both the essay and video contests who will go on to compete for cash prizes in the circuit contest. To be eligible to compete in the local contest, students must reside in the state of Oregon. In addition to advancement to the circuit contest, local district winners will receive cash prizes and be invited to the award presentation at the FBA Annual Dinner in May 2018.